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Martinez thrilled with big win

Wigan manager Robert Martinez was 'delighted' with his side's 3-0 win over Reading on Saturday.

Two goals in two minutes from Arouna Kone in the shadows of half-time put the visitors in the driving seat before Maynor Figueroa effectively sealed the result three minutes into the second half.

The victory, combined with Aston Villa's loss at Arsenal, saw the Latics move out of the relegation zone on 24 points.

"Delighted is the best word to describe it," Martinez told Sky Sports.

"We knew how hard it was going to be with the recent results Reading had, and we never underestimated how difficult a task it was going to be.

"I'm so pleased to keep a clean sheet today. To keep out Reading with no shots on target was an incredible effort from all the players, and showed how well they were drilled and focused in their defensive job.

"On top of that we were able to play like ourselves, and be ourselves. To score the goals in the manner that we did is very pleasing.

"It was a complete performance in a very difficult environment, at a difficult moment of the season, it was very pleasing for us."

The loss leaves Reading in 19th place and manager Brian McDermott was left to rue two decisions which he felt went against his side.

McDermott believed there was a clear handball in the lead-up to Kone's opening goal, while he also thought the decision to send off Russian striker Pavel Pogrebnyak 35 minutes from time was incorrect.

"There was a handball, an absolute nailed-on handball, then their guy headed it in," he said.

"The second goal was a poor one from our point of view. They got the third, then Pavel got sent off so obviously it was a bad day.

"With Pavel's sending off, the referee feels it was a poor tackle, that's his decision. Having said that, we have had a bad day, we cannot say that Wigan were not the better side.

"He's made a choice, he thinks it was a dangerous tackle, Pavel's just dangled a leg there and caught him. The referee thinks it was a red card, that it was a dangerous tackle. I know Pavel Pogrebnyak, he is not a dangerous player whatsoever."